Fr Jim Norris was one Priest that helped discern the way to greater love, and it's true meaning to me. There are different ways of course, free will is part of God's design for the human race and we often ask why. Fr Kelly, said "because God wants human beings not mules". You have to read that with an Irish accent.
The monastic life and my experiences is something I will have to write about. Stability is my pet subject at the moment.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Pope Francis concluded by praying to the Lord to give us “the Christian
identity, that which You have: give us your Spirit; give us your way of
thinking, of feeling, of speaking: that is, Lord grant us the anointing
of the Holy Spirit”.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Hi my name is Mark Baird I was born
in the small town of Rotorua, New Zealand.

My book is a series
of reflections, these are meditations where the reader thinks about what has
been written and how it relates to their journey with Jesus. It enriches a
person’s faith and develops a stronger character. It is not a personal diary. I
want my book to by handbook that can be used at prayer groups or meditations
however the long term plan is to form a Society that offers the poor an
opportunity to live in a community.

As part of the Columban
Catholic formation program the novice seminarian completes a St Ignatius 30 day
retreat. This is what my book is centred on. Fr Jim Norris handwrote his notes
in six notebooks and passed them on to me. I knew after reading them that they
were very special, not because of any glamourous adventure or deep theological
treatise but the easy flow of a thinking mind.

My book is guide to
the faithful who are wanting a deeper understanding of Jesus and the Church, it
has a piecemeal series of dates that can be used as a quick 15 minute
reflection. By doing this the reader gets a quick insight into the spiritual
world. The time is set during World War II and when the war is raging outside
the book barely mentions the events. It is when Fr Jim gets his assignment to
go to China he mentions that life could get very tough.

In the words of Fr Jim on this/ Sunday, August 10, 2014

"Your nature had as it were a
definite bias towards evil. Now as you grew older you forgot your dignity as a
child of God/and you squandered your inheritance, the beautiful gifts of
Baptism by serious sin. Not only once/ but again and again. You can see that as
a result of your evil nature and repeated habit of sin your correct view of
things has been changed. Your mind is perverted,/ sin means little to you and
your soul is darkened and blunted./ To clean the soul and give it the correct
natural view on creatures, the Soul needs much effort and prayer and grace. You
have fallen from your pedestal as a Brother of Jesus Christ into the mud and to
get it back again the Soul needs much washing, straightening/ and since we are
so weak, much help.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Brothers & Sisters This daily post is a short explanation from me and a piece of the Fr Jim Norris book, it is a reflection on the St Ignatius exercises. We use Fr Jim’s notes as a way to grow in love and understanding of Jesus. We are not a business and everything is free. https://www.facebook.com/FRNORRIS?ref=hl

"Since we are creatures of God we are by the natural law bound to:• Adore Him, praise Him and bless Him for all His wisdom and perfection in nature, in ourselves, other man in Himself. He is infinite perfection.• Thank Him for all He has done for us, for all He as our Creator has given us: talents, good home, education, vocation. etc. This is but natural.• Petition Him for strength for help in various ways. He is our Creator, we depend utterly on Him. • Make reparation for sin- the abuse of His creatures, for all our deviations from His plans, from His Holy Will and so make acts of sorrow, contrition and purpose of amendment. This is but naturally due from a creature to His creator. But what about our relations as Father and Son- as Father and child." ad majorem Dei gloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Brothers & Sisters This daily post is a short explanation from me and a piece of the Fr Jim Norris book, it is a reflection on the St Ignatius exercises. So instead of doing a very high level of theology we use Fr Jim’s notes as a way to grow in love and understanding of Jesus. We are not a business and everything is free.

"Your nature had as it were a definite bias towards evil. Now as you grew older you forgot your dignity as a child of God and you squandered your inheritance, the beautiful gifts of Baptism by serious sin. Not only once but again and again. You can see that as a result of your evil nature and repeated habit of sin your correct view of things has been changed. Your mind is perverted, sin means little to you and your soul is darkened and blunted. To clean the soul and give it the correct natural view on creatures needs much effort and prayer and grace. You have fallen from your pedestal as a brother of Jesus Christ into the mud and to get back again needs much washing, straightening and since we are so weak, much help." Ad majorem Dei gloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Brothers & Sisters in today's reflection let us contemplate grace how beautiful it is and blessed we are, thanks be to God.

"Grace is glory in a smile, glory is grace at home. Grace is a supernatural gift. What actually it is more or less is a mystery. e.g. electricity. We can see merely it’s effects. It makes the soul beautiful. It is the dew that produces beautiful flowers in the garden of the soul. It strengthens the soul making it Christ like. It acts in the nature of a light, enabling us to live by a pure faith. In a sense the mystery of grace is more marvelous than the Incarnation. In Mary God became man, in Mary men become God through grace. Mary being the Mother of divine grace and the mediatrix of all graces." Ad majorem Dei gloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Sacred Silence (indicated by a
bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance
of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more
closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

I willingly boast of my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest
upon me. Therefore I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with
distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for
when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Brothers & Sisters Today let us about our studies, the part of formation that is the logical side of our nature. It is important to have a good spiritual formation as well as a theoretical and psychological knowledge. God bless you all.

"Why do we study? Why do all the things that we do? Why do our best?• You must learn to know God and save your soul.• This is the work that God has chosen for you to do, not only save your own soul but to follow Jesus in a special manner and help the Father and Jesus in the saving of souls.You are studying then to become as much like Jesus in knowledge as the Father wants you to be. As with all your duties you must strive earnestly to become like Jesus." Ad majorem dei gloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Brothers & Sisters In today's reflection Fr Jim writes in his diary about our aim of becoming like Jesus. We can achieve a level of holiness by practicing acts of love and most importantly by His grace in the Sacraments. God Bless you all.

"See what is meant by character of soul. Observe the Master closely. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the Way, the perfect character, utter truth-follow Him in Mary. But he is also the life. He has called you to be an ‘Alter Christus’ a terrific task which he does not expect you to accomplish yourself. He is the life. All Jesus wants is a generous heart-one which is prepared to do anything He asks. Not relying on our own strength but realizing that we can do ‘all things’ in Jesus who strengthens us." Ad mojorem deigloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Brothers & Sisters In today's reflection let us think how Fr Jim does. Let us remember the communio we share in the body and blood of J.C. Fix our eyes on God.

"A good remedy against vanity or thinking about what others think of you. Everybody is rushing past you while you, vain creature stand waiting to be admired. Nobody see you. Why? Because their eyes are fixed on God. They give glory to Him. Are you going to be left standing while all other run to God. Cast overboard all self-love. Realize that you are nothing and unite yourself with the community in praising and adoring God. He alone merits praise." Ad majorem dei gloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Brothers & Sisters Today let us reflect on love; let us preach the truth on what love is and our failing to love fully.

"To be completely united with the Master you must sacrifice completely every love.1. Love of sin2. Love of creatures3. Love of self.Use all things, including yourself to love only Jesus. Ask Mary to purify your heart. Imitate the Saints and set out with a right good will to purify your affections. You will advance to Jesus only through Mary.Remember too that grace is only a creature to be made use of. You must correspond with each grace as it comes and so be drawn to Jesus." Ad majorem Dei gloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014.

Brothers & Sisters today let us focus on the need to have God in our lives. We depend on Him foe even the smallest of things. In the paragraph below Fr Jim Norris writes the serious commitment we make when following Jesus. I have kept the notes true to his writing so sometimes the English is not perfect.

" Christ on Calvary and of the sacrifice from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof is the same”. He is unchangeable truth. His was the reasonable of a dependent creature. All through His Life He submitted to His Father’s will; He was ready to lay down His Life if his Father so willed. His Father willed and He did so. In the Mass we lay bread and wine, sustains human life, on the Table. By these we signify that we depend for our human existence upon God and that, if needs be, we are willing to lay down our human lives, if He wills it. In time, he may will it. In the meantime we promise to submit to God’s will in all its details. We lie in so far as we fail to accomplish this will." Ad majorem Dei gloriam. Issuu publishers. 2014.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Brothers & Sisters, to be a saint is something we need to always keep in mind, this is true ambition for us, no longer money or fame but holiness is our goal. Remember Satan is real and temptation is always close, be on guard against anger and hate. Let us pray from John XXIII and J.P.II

"The saints were generous they readily and immediately corresponded with the grace which was never wanting and seized upon and brought into their lives every tittle of the truth. No delay.

The one thing which guided them was- the will of God (hic et nunc). They proceeded with energy to root out all humanness and self from their lives and to replace the spirit of Jesus. And so they became dead to self.

They never acted on impulse always the used the cardinal virtue of prudence which resides in the intellect. Prayer and mortification were the weapons." 'Ad majorem Dei gloriam.' Diary.1941

Monday, April 21, 2014

“166. Another aspect of catechesis which has developed in recent decades is mystagogic initiation.[128] This basically has to do with two things: a progressive experience of formation involving the entire community and a renewed appreciation of the liturgical signs of Christian initiation. Many manuals and programmes have not yet taken sufficiently into account the need for a mystagogical renewal, one which would assume very different forms based on each educational community’s discernment.
Catechesis is a proclamation of the word and is always centred on that word,
yet it also demands a suitable environment and an attractive presentation, the
use of eloquent symbols, insertion into a broader growth process and the
integration of every dimension of the person within a communal journey of
hearing and response.” Apostolic exhortation. Evangelii gaudium.
of the holy Father Francis.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Brothers & Sisters today let us reflect on the creation. God created the dinosaurs. God is life, let us celebrate life and creation.

"Evening came, and morning followed - the fourth day.
20 Then God said, "Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky." And so it happened:
21
God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was,
22 and God blessed them, saying, "Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth." Fr Jim Norris diary. 1941.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Brothers & Sisters Today I want us to think of the redemption, the day of justice. Let us examine our conscience and pray for God's grace. Do not worry about the world or other people. your relationship with God is important, think of kneeling before God.

"Remember that we will not be the same after the redemption as before. Either better or worse. If we correspond with Gods grace we should be better. Refuse Him nothing. Do only His holy will. Remember prayer will be the thing that counts. Pray! " Fr Norris diary. 1941.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

"Just because you experienced joy in doing this mortification does not mean that the joy is from heaven. No it was from the devil who is deceiving you. Have to be careful in this respect. Do not be carried away by first enthusiasm. You know yourself that you have often commenced a project enthusiastically but only lasted a couple of day,’s e.g. some hobby. Do not therefore make resolutions when you are really enthusiastic. Wait till you cool off and if you still want to make the resolution and keep it. Be particularly careful in mortification's. Keep to doing small things consistently." Fr Norris diary 1941.

BROTHERS & SISTERS, FR NORRIS WRITES IN HIS DIARY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITS AND THERE PURPOSE. IT IS VERY EASY TO BECOME CONFUSED AND EXCITED BY OUR HUMAN PLANS AND AMBITION. BE CAREFUL IN ALL THINGS, PATIENT AND KIND.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Monday, January 13, 2014

St Teresa, her sanctity in its highest mystical expression was never prejudicial to her intelligence, ever swift, lively and pleasant; to her even character which shed its peaceful serenity all around; to the delicate solicitude, the amiable manners, the practical good sense - Abbot QuerangerAlready More’s detachment was opposite in kind to that of the world; it sprang from detachment, fed and strengthened by mortification and prayer. He who said that a man may live for the next world and be merry withal had learned with St Francis the secret of perfect joy. Always set all things in their right order. “In his humility, he said to Erasmus, that he “chose to be a chaster husband rather than an impure priest.” Fr Norris dairy 1941